<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Time and Wisdom Is Rarely Parallel As Said by PainTheDoll</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28495467">Time and Wisdom Is Rarely Parallel As Said</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PainTheDoll/pseuds/PainTheDoll'>PainTheDoll</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Criminal Minds (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Asexual Spencer Reid, Autistic Spencer Reid, Bisexual Spencer Reid, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Spencer Reid, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pansexual Derek Morgan, Protective Derek Morgan, biromantic Sprencer Ried</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:28:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,270</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28495467</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PainTheDoll/pseuds/PainTheDoll</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>While working a case Morgan notices Spencer seemingly more tense and unsure then usual, he tries to get the youngest member to open up about it.<br/>Harder then it sounds.....</p><p>Meanwhile Spencer struggles with the side effect of growing too fast....still not knowing who you're expose to be.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Derek Morgan &amp; Spencer Reid, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Case Briefing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Albert Einstein</em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p>"Ugh- I thought we were expose to be off today" Emily grumbled as she got to her desk "Why do serial killers have to have little to no social life?"</p><p>Morgan chuckled as he walked passed "No kidding, i was having a fun night too" </p><p>"I'm just glad I'm got the chance to tuck in Henry before we got called in, anyone seen Ried?"</p><p> </p><p>As if on cue Spencer ran in, holding his satchel close as he went over to the others" Forgot my ringer was off, what we got?"</p><p>JJ shrugged as she grabbed her files, smiling "Guess we go in and see"</p><p> </p><p>"Last night at 9 pm Russell Bradley and his younger sister Lillian Bradley were found dead in their cabin by friends during a senior trip for both of them. Russell was a senior at MTSU and Lillian was a senior at Riverdale High school. Both siblings seemed to have been killed and brought back to the cabin and laid in Russell's bed which was closest to the back door of the cabin."</p><p>Rossi looked over the file" Where were the friends when this all occurred?" he scanned over the pictures curiously.</p><p>"Locals said the were spotted in town at some of the stores getting snacks, they have a tight alibi" Garcia responded trying not to look at the screen.</p><p>"So whoever did this is skilled enough to time when these two could be alone take them, kill them , brand them it seems and placed them back in their cabin in a cuddle like position. We're dealing with quite a killer..." Morgan tilted his head.</p><p>"Exactly, wheels up in 30." Hotch stood up and headed out of the room.</p><p> </p><p>The flight there was as usual, them going over the files more always seemed to make things a bit clearer.</p><p>"Why put them back? It he planned to take them back why not just kill them in the cabin." Emily pointed out.</p><p>"Perhaps they want to be sure they don't leave evidence?" JJ scanned over the pictures.</p><p>"Maybe they had a van of some type with instruments they used. It might've been easier if he needed to brand them to have some to heat the brand with and they cant be carried as easily as a knife.." Morgan offered.</p><p>"it would have to be kin to a jeep or truck of some type to make it over mountain terrain without any problems." Spencer noted looking up.</p><p>"Ried, Morgan, you two go and exiam he bodies see anything might have missed. Rossi, Emily ask around nearby neighbors see if they might've spotted anything. JJ you come with me to the station to talk to their friends and parents." Hotch told the team as they heard the plane descend.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Case Start</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>First Chap. probably be the only one without a specific point of view-<br/>this one's Morgan's</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Poverty Is Not The Root Cause of Crime.<br/><strong>Rush Linbaugh</strong></em>
</p><hr/><p>      As soon as they hit the ground Morgan and Ried were off to view the bodies. Though the 30 minute drive there certainly was peaceful given the situation. Gatlinburg's Smoky Mountain terrain certainly was beautiful, give a deep rich hue to the surroundings compared to the bright shallow landscape of the cities Morgan was use to.</p><p>"Certainly plenty of places to hide a body..yet he brings them back?" Morgan finally broke the silence to his partner in the passenger seat, but Ried seemed engrossed into the landscape,</p><p>"Kid?"</p><p>"Huh- oh yah, probably part of his ritual. Question is why..." Spencer murmured.</p><p>Morgan looked over and tilted his head slightly, Ried usually would be going on about statistics or something that was more need to know. Yet he was oddly silent the whole ride. Morgan wouldn't admit it he liked to hear him ramble. </p><p>"Alright Kid,spill" Morgan looked between Ried and the road.</p><p>"What-?"</p><p>"You're oddly quiet, you usually would be rambling about something. So what's bothering that deep brain of yours?" Morgan tried not to focus too much on Ried as to not run off the side of the road. Ried seemed to just shrug, not really giving Morgan any straight answer.</p><p>"Kid-"</p><p>"I'm fine- let's just focus on the case." Ried snapped. Morgan decided not to push it.</p><p> </p><p>    "So they both were strangled" Morgan asked as he and Ried examined the marks on their necks" yet to leave marks like this is strange, they are on one spot on the neck. left for Russell and right for his sister." he noted, aware of Ried moving to his right to examine the markings as well." Could they have been hung together, with the same rope?"</p><p>Morgan blinked slight and looked down "that would explain why the strangle marks are on opposite sides, the other sides would be against each other." he crossed his arms and scanned them "So he hangs them together, stitches them together then lays them back in one of their rooms. some odd symbolism there.."</p><p>"Quite.." Ried nodded as they left to tell the rest of the team. Morgan noted Ried's fiddling with his satchel strap,which he only did when overthinking or nervous. What was going on with him?</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Struggle To Be Them</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>The head never rules the heart, but just becomes its partner in crime.<br/><strong>Mignon McLaughlin</strong></em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>      Ried's mind was going 50 miles an hour...figuratively of course. Every since this morning his mind has been occupied with a dream he had that has had him questioning his feelings in relationships he has. Yet he certain didn't want to bring it up, defiantly not to Morgan who has been at the center of his conflicted feelings. He hated not knowing things, it was an frustrating feeling. Asking the others wouldn't help, just make him question himself more based off their reactions. He hated not being able to understand how he's feeling...</p>
<p>"Kid? You there?" Morgan's voice broke him from his thoughts, Ried didn't get what he always called him kid, he wasn't <span class="u"><em>that</em></span> much younger then him.</p>
<p>"Kid?"</p>
<p>"Oh-sorry" he spoke softly shifting a bit "What were you saying?"</p>
<p>"What's been up with you lately? Did something happen you've been quiet and distant. Are you alright?"</p>
<p>These were the moments Reid wished he didn't work with 5 other profilers, it was hard to put up walls around himself, especially around Morgan who seemed to read him like a book. Almost as fast Ried can <em>read</em> a book. He didn't know how to explain to Morgan, he didn't even know how to explain to <em>himself</em>.</p>
<p>"It's nothing, let's get to the others" He sighed as they parked. He got out and headed into the station, he was aware of his colleague's eyes on him yet tried to ignore it as he entered the station and went over to the rest of the team. They were discussing the case still as Ried and Morgan sat down. </p>
<p>"Garcia hasn't found any van owners that fit the profile, we'll just have to keep looking..." Hotch nodded to the others as he looked through the file, they were interrupted by the police chief.</p>
<p>"Another pair has been found-" He said quickly.</p>
<p>Hotch got up" JJ stay here and wait for any family members, Ried stay and create a geographical profile. Everyone else meet at the crime scene",Hotch ordered and headed out followed by Rossi and Emily. Morgan gave Ried one last glance before following the others, which gave an odd warm feeling he often got when others were worried for him.</p>
<p><em>"How am I expose to separate feelings that are so similar?"  </em>He thought as he was left alone with JJ, the only one who could read him better then Morgan...</p>
<p>This is gonna be a long day.</p>
<p>He started on his profile, waiting for the questions to begin....</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Another</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>“All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.”</em><br/>
 <strong>Sophocles, Antigone</strong></p>
<hr/><p>As soon as they left the station Morgan knew he would be questioned. He and Emily had been put in the back of the van as the other two drove,and she immediately asked him questions why Hotch started the car.</p><p>"What's going on between you and Ried?" Emily asked "You two kept looking at each other the whole time we were in there."</p><p>Morgan looked at her, he knew he kept looking at Ried but Ried was also looking at him? Despite Ried no longer being with them Morgan felt a odd feeling in his chest as if he was self conscious. Why would he be though? Ried did care about others appearances, he only noticed when someone's body language changed, so why was Morgan feeling embarrassed about Ried had been looking at him?</p><p>"Nothing, I'm just worried about him he's been acting off. Why?" Morgan answered Emily.</p><p>"Oh? Well maybe JJ can find out. I didn't know you notice that little of a change though Morgan" Emily smirked</p><p>"Oh shut up Prentiss" That only made her chuckle. He just shook his head as they came to a stop. He got out and headed towards the crime scene.</p><p>The first thing he noticed was the smell, it hung high in the air and made Morgan's nostrils sting. The bodies were sewn together like before, this time it was a mother and daughter, they seemed much more decomposed then before. The mother seemed to have been cut up while the daughter looked bruised.</p><p>"These were killed before the first two bodies..." Morgan noted "that's different from how we thought he killed.."</p><p>"Quite...means there could be more bodies then those that might just gone missing.." Hotch frowned slightly and picked up a bit of cloth and bagged it "Let's dna test this maybe we can find something..."</p><p>Morgan nodded as he gagged again "Maybe Garcia can find some connection other then being related pairing with the bodies.." He offered and dialed the familiar number.</p><p>"Oh thank goodness I was worried there for a moment you guys forget about me-"</p><p>"Never Baby Girl, could you find a connection between the 4 victims?"</p><p>"Easy peasy, I'll search high and low- PG out!"</p><p>Morgan smiled gently as he followed the others back to the car. Now they just got to see what Ried got from his profile. Hopfully he wasn't too destracted.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Profile</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“I'm not afraid of dying. I'm afraid I'll never get a chance to live!”</em><br/>
<em>― A.A. Bell, Diamond Eyes</em>
</p>
<hr/><p> Reid was too distracted.</p><p>Left with JJ he was immediately being questioned. Go figure he couldn't be left to his thoughts, not on this team. Even so he wished he was left alone, trying to figure out what they're missing on the case as well as his own identity? Harder then he wants it to be.</p><p>The moment him and JJ were alone she cornered him with even the most simplest of questions.</p><p>"What's going on with you and Morgan?"</p><p>In truth Reid had no idea. He's spent his life hearing what crushes were like. Kids in changing rooms for his required PE classes, Jill looked the cutest in that gym wear, what about Jennifer? Molly asked Brian out and he's "head over heels" for the sweetest girl in the 9th grade. Yet Reid never understood what they were talking about. To him everyone fit pretty well into their gym wear, both physically and aesthetically. Perhaps it was because no one ever really wanted to talk with the nerd of the class. Maybe it was because he barely got a chance to hit puberty before he was already being sent to collage. Yet relationships overall were difficult to create. And he often couldn't tell if his idea of friendship was bordering on romantic. Specially with this team relationships were closest he ever experience outside his mother.</p><p>So how is he gonna explain Morgan taking up his mind from day to day, the way he couldn't stop himself from gazing at the chocolate toned co-agent. The way he had to stop from stumbling over simple words when he looks at him. No, he didn't know what was going on, but none of this he would tell JJ,she would push a romantic side of things before he could figure that out. And if Emily found out? Oh lord help him.</p><p>"I don't know what you mean? It's not important anyway we have bigger issues- If we're right he might attack or abandon another pair tomorrow" he tried to distract her with work.</p><p>"Ried..."</p><p>"I'm fine, i have to finish this profile." He spoke quickly and went on working.</p>
<hr/><p>For the rest of the time they worked in mostly silence,Ried hoped he didn't upset JJ but for now he wanted to figure this profile out.</p><p>He was so enwrapped in his thoughts he didn't notice the others return until Morgan patted his shoulder causing him to jump.</p><p>"Easy kid, just us. What you got?" Morgan smiled slightly, same smiled that confused Ried so much.</p><p>"Sadly Where the bodies were found aren't close enough for anything telling, though all disappeared at places similar to another."</p><p>"How so?"</p><p>"first pair at an arcade, another at an local restraint another at a bar. all were somewhere you find people who are close hanging out."</p><p>"So he could be aiming for people with relationships?"Emily asked"could explain why lay them together in such a way."</p><p>"could also explain the beatings and torture found"Hotch noted "He gets off watching the other sorrow for their peer. </p><p>"And why these bodies are being found later."Morgan agreed.</p><p>Hotch nodded and crossed his arms"We're ready for the profile."</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>